If you go to church regularly, you will likely be regularly exposed to teachings on major Christian topics such as grace, faith, gifts of the Holy Spirit, and salvation. You might spend weeks or months studying one of those topics.
There are probably many times you have heard a Scripture and said to yourself, “I wish someone would give me a short lesson on a particular word or topic. Not a long treatise, but enough to get a better understanding.” The purpose of this series is to do that for a wide variety of topics. For that reason, some of these videos are shorter than the typical Eyewitness episodes.
As we often caution, we are not trying to add to what the Bible says, we are trying to add context that will help you understand the Bible better. So, please read the applicable Scriptures in the study guides for these stories so you will know exactly what the Bible says.
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What is the biggest difference between Saul and David? Many might answer David was a man after God’s own heart, while Saul wasn’t. Others might answer Saul was deranged while David wasn’t. Here is another take: Saul was anointed king and thrown into the job without any training or teaching; David spent decades learning how to make good choices and had God as his teacher.
David spent his youth as a shepherd learning how to manage and care for difficult, thankless animals. He learned how to protect his sheep with a sling and staff, the weapons he took to kill Goliath.
David spent time in the courts of the king and in the army. He watched as Saul led his country and his men. By watching Saul, David learned lessons in what to do and what not to do. When he was banished from the court, he lived as an outlaw for many years. He learned the ways of the Philistines, how to lead a motley crew of hundreds of men, and how to depend on God.
As David’s career as an outlaw was drawing to a close, he found himself as a commander of the Philistine army on the way to fight (and kill) King Saul.
